Topband: Effect of Ground on a Dipole

[David Cutter]

>From what I have read on K2AV, avoiding foliage is extremely useful. 
BTW Mike, G4IUF has only ever used dipoles (very bent and much lower than
yours) on 160 and 80 and has done well with both, then again, he's been
chasing dx for 25 years or so to accumulate his scores.

David G3UNA

-----Original Message-----
From: Topband [mailto:topband-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Roger
Kennedy
Sent: Wednesday, June 06, 2018 1:56 AM
To: topband at contesting.com
Subject: Topband: Effect of Ground on a Dipole

I've been reading all the technical stuff about Ground Conductivity with
interest . . .

As many of you will be aware, unlike most Topband DXers, I have always used
a Horizontal Half-wave Dipole.

Something that always amazed me was when I lived down South I did a load of
comparisons between my 160m dipole at 50ft, and my friend G3SED's dipole at
100ft.  You would think his signal would be FAR stronger with DX . . . but
reports were typically exactly the same!  (we did this on SSB, back when
conditions were better . . . so easy to get proper comparison reports -
often in a Net with several US stations in different parts of the country)

I'm thinking that if the actual Ground Conductivity is as poor as the posted
figures say, maybe the actual height of a Dipole above ground isn't as
significant as people think (as long as it's up in the clear, above all
trees and buildings, which mine was).  This would certainly explain the
results I have obtained.

Roger G3YRO
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